"We drink this beaker," said he, "to the health of Wilfred of Ivanhoe,

champion of this Passage of Arms, and grieve that his wound renders him

absent from our board--Let all fill to the pledge, and especially Cedric

of Rotherwood, the worthy father of a son so promising."

"No, my lord," replied Cedric, standing up, and placing on the table his

untasted cup, "I yield not the name of son to the disobedient youth, who

at once despises my commands, and relinquishes the manners and customs

of his fathers."

"'Tis impossible," cried Prince John, with well-feigned astonishment,

"that so gallant a knight should be an unworthy or disobedient son!"

"Yet, my lord," answered Cedric, "so it is with this Wilfred. He left my

homely dwelling to mingle with the gay nobility of your brother's court,

where he learned to do those tricks of horsemanship which you prize so

highly. He left it contrary to my wish and command; and in the days

of Alfred that would have been termed disobedience--ay, and a crime

severely punishable."

"Alas!" replied Prince John, with a deep sigh of affected sympathy,

"since your son was a follower of my unhappy brother, it need not

be enquired where or from whom he learned the lesson of filial

disobedience."

Thus spake Prince John, wilfully forgetting, that of all the sons of

Henry the Second, though no one was free from the charge, he himself had

been most distinguished for rebellion and ingratitude to his father.

"I think," said he, after a moment's pause, "that my brother proposed to

confer upon his favourite the rich manor of Ivanhoe."

"He did endow him with it," answered Cedric; "nor is it my least quarrel

with my son, that he stooped to hold, as a feudal vassal, the very

domains which his fathers possessed in free and independent right."

"We shall then have your willing sanction, good Cedric," said Prince

John, "to confer this fief upon a person whose dignity will not

be diminished by holding land of the British crown.--Sir Reginald

Front-de-Boeuf," he said, turning towards that Baron, "I trust you will

so keep the goodly Barony of Ivanhoe, that Sir Wilfred shall not incur

his father's farther displeasure by again entering upon that fief."

"By St Anthony!" answered the black-brow'd giant, "I will consent that

your highness shall hold me a Saxon, if either Cedric or Wilfred, or the

best that ever bore English blood, shall wrench from me the gift with

which your highness has graced me."




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